Chapter 4: The Descent

Eden Formation.

The hour was early morning. While students of the number one Martial school woke up and headed from their dorms to the cafeteria building, Zax, the other three representatives and Don, just entered and left the school's grounds in a rarely seen triangular, blue aircraft with compact yet lavish interior.

The destination was the Tongguo region, cave five hundred and twelve, the "Path Arena".

In Kingdom Earth's the Path Arena was a popular location for the common folks. This piece of property belonged to the Strong Arm League, which managed the Earth's Core's showdowns and especially in this place, the advanced Showdowns League.

Whenever there was a large fighting event that was supposed to be held in Tongguo, it would have taken place in the Path Arena, through the management of the Strong Arm League.

More often, the said "large fighting event" would be Showdowns League related fights of experts between level C to A, which anyone can either view by purchasing a high priced ticket or by subscribing to the Showdowns League's channel.

Event such as the Martial competition that being kept from the general public and handled very discreetly, are only available to watch and participate by those with great status.

Since the arrival of many luxury vehicles and even aircrafts can attract an unwanted attention, the Strong Arm League arranged for this day a series of highly anticipated fights for the common folks, as pretense to conceal the momentous, half century event.

The Path Arena was a dome shaped building with four different floors and enough space to accommodate a hundred thousand people. Its first floor had twenty rings, the second floor had ten rings, the third floor had five rings and the fourth floor only had three rings. With this many rings, the Path Arena could conduct thirty eight fights at the same time, but the most it ever held were thirty five, since the three rings in the fourth floor were solely used for C level experts championship, B level experts championship and A level experts championship.

Although small enough to enter any of the four floors, the blue aircraft landed in one of the helipads near the Path Arena's building.

Exiting the blue aircraft, a young female attendant in a black suit, next to a long limousine with the logo of the Strong Arm League, waited for the five.

"Representatives of Eden Formation, Miss Don Dauch, please enter the limousine. You will shortly arrive to the participants' area. Afterwards, you can get together with your entourage". The young female attendant said in a sweet tone of voice and a humble manner.

Following Don's lead, after she signaled the pilot to take off, the four entered the limousine passively. They did not express awe when for the first time in their lives they got to be in an aircraft, so no matter how extravagant the limousine was, the four almost seemed indifferent toward it.

To be honest whether if it was Zax, the chief representative, or any of the others, the only thing in their mind was the Martial competition and what is waiting for them at the final destination.

The young female attendant drove the limousine toward the Path Arena's building, but when it was about to reach the parking lot designated for very important guests and fighters, a tremor ran through the road and the lane the limousine was on started to descent, revealing an opening to an underground paved tunnel.

The lane ascended back to its place at the same time the limousine crossed the threshold to the tunnel, and the walls surrounding it lit up like a wide corridor of an old castle.

The drive felt rather uncanny to the four representatives. During the flight, when they recognized the Path Arena they thought the Martial competition will take place in its famous fourth floor. They did not imagine that instead their final destination will be a secret and huge underground compound.

The limousine parked right past the long tunnel and inside what seemed to be a well decorated lounge.

The group's limousine was not the only one to arrive the lounge. There were five tunnels leading outside, to several of the different roads and helipads heading to and belonging to the Path Arena building.

After exiting the limousine, a young male attendant welcomed Zax and the rest to enter and enjoy the lounge. As he gestured for them to enter, the young female attendant drove the limousine back in the same direction they arrived.

The lounge was circular, large enough to comfortably entertain roughly two hundred people. There were no sitting places, only an abundant dining area with all kinds of bite size delicacies.

As Zax and the rest made their way to the center of the hall, more limousines arrived with other participants and backers. There were also thirty something people, who were divided into several small groups of five to two people or just standalone individuals, which already arrived before Zax and the rest.

The air was tense in the lounge. Everyone kept for themselves, not even interested in the appetizing food or making small talk with the new arrivals.

"Follow me". Don instructed the four. After sweeping her gaze at the crowd, she gave the impression that no one noteworthy has yet arrived and those who have been in the lounge before them do not require any formalities, neither courteousness.

Each of the four had his and her own perspectives, at the moment, but following Don they walked and maintained low profile. When a number of Soul Senses tried to get a gist about them, Don repealed them. The Soul Senses were not too rude and retreated without a fight. Zax and the rest also did not retaliate; Don told them not to bother about inspecting anyone. Since like the four of them, many here were in possession of mist concealment jewels and even soul concealment jewels to hide their strength until the fights.

"Don Mor, what are we waiting for?" Jalal asked.

The five situated themselves beside a dessert table, away from the others. But when Jalal mentioned Don's name a few sets of ears could be seen conspicuously pricking up, though, the reaction was short lived and no real change has appeared on everyone vacant faces.

"When all the participants and all the backers will assemble in this lounge, an emissary of one of the Supreme Rulers will get here to carry a traditional speech and state the structure of this year Martial competition. Afterwards, we will be shown the way to the fighting stages ". Don explained in a subtle manner.

Jalal and the rest were not the only ones listening to her. A great number of the people in the lounge were relieved to know the procedure of the competition.

A hour passed and the crowed inside the lounge increased to a hundred and eight people.

A few of the new arrivals exchanged looks with each other; even Don finally expressed some distant courtesy. But still, no one separated from his or her group or dragged it to converse with another one.

Fifteen minutes later, a rumbling sound reverberated, and when everyone turned their heads to see what was going on, their gazes locked at the closing entrances in which the limousines drove them to the lounge. One of the tunnels, though, was a little slower to close and the last limousine passed through it just before the lounge was completely sealed.